PATRIOTS NOTEBOOK: Team one step closer to training camp

The kickoff of the mandatory three-day minicamp in Foxboro is a major step toward the opening of training camp next month. Patriots head coach Bill Belichick says it's all really just a continuation of what his team's been doing the previous three weeks, though.

“This is the official mini-camp,” Patriots head coach Bill Belichick announced at Gillette Stadium on Tuesday morning, “but really it’s just a continuation of what we’ve been doing for the last 10 practices over the past three weeks.”

Voluntary organized team activities gave way to the start of the team’s mandatory three-day minicamp Tuesday marking a major step toward the beginning of training camp next month (on or around July 23).

The game plan?

“Just try to keep moving ahead here, installing some of our plays, trying to get everybody on the same page with the new players and some of the players that are back,” said Belichick. “Obviously, we’ve made some adjustments and changes in what we’re doing from last year so we’ll try to keep building on that and try to put ourselves in as good a position we can to be ready to go in training camp.”

Belichick’s assessment of the 10 OTAs that stretched from May into June?

“I think we’ve certainly made a lot of progress, but at the same time we have a long way to go,” he said. “So just take it day by day and keep trying to put one foot in front of the other and making progress.”

Roster at the limit: A day after they waived first-year tight end Kyle Auffray, the Patriots filled out their 90-man roster by signing Seali’i Epenesa, a rookie free-agent defensive lineman from UCLA.

Six-foot-one and 310 pounds, the 22-year-old Epenesa played in 41 games in college, finishing his four-year career with 46 tackles and one sack.

Safety first: For what it’s worth at this time of year, with Steve Gregory gone (released in late February), 2013 third-round draft pick Duron Harmon appears to be the early leader in the clubhouse (and on the practice field) to start with Devin McCourty at the safety position.

“I’m approaching it just like last year,” said Harmon. “Last year I approached the game like being a starter, preparing like a starter because you never know your opportunity and when it will come. It came last year – I started three games (when Gregory was injured) – and because I prepared like a starter I was prepared to play in those games and do well.”

Belichick on Armstead: The oft-discussed but seldom seen Armond Armstead was among those not spotted Tuesday, but he was in line for some complimentary words from the coach.

According to Belichick, “Armond’s really worked hard” since his arrival in New England.

Page 2 of 2 - Signed in February 2013, the 23-year-old defensive lineman out of the University of Southern California missed all of last season due to an infection he developed before training camp. In 2012, he had registered 43 tackles, a team-high six sacks and two fumble recoveries with the Toronto Argonauts and made the Canadian Football League all-star team.

“He’s had a lot of adversity personally that he’s had to deal with, unusual compared with other players,” the coach said, “but he’s always had a great attitude, worked hard and really done everything we’ve asked him to do.”

Along with Armstead, wide receiver Aaron Dobson (who underwent surgery on his foot this offseason) and defensive lineman Dominique Easley, the team’s first-round draft pick (who underwent knee surgery last year) were among those absent from the practice session.

Glen Farley may be reached at gfarley@enterprisenews.com. Follow him on Twitter at @GFarley_ent.